Paths Through the Woods
by silverliningineachcloud
Summary: When Shane Grey, a fading star who can't seem to find purpose in life, runs into Mitchie ten years after she disappeared from his life, he immediately can tell something is wrong. Life has a way of getting complicated, and Mitchie's story is no exception. Will she let Shane in and will Shane be able to help? Rated T for language and abuse. Please Read and Review! No flames please!
1. Paths Collide

_**Whoaaaaa I forgot to leave an author's note! **__**Well here it is! This is my first Camp Rock fanfic! I have written for another fandom, but under a different username. I thought I'd start fresh for this one :)  
**_

_**A couple things about me- I love animals, writing, painting, and sushi! Also, I LOVE hearing back from my readers! (shameless plug for reviews)**_

_**I can't promise on a regular update schedule, but I should at least be getting a chapter up once every week (Sorry, I know that's slow. But it's probably the fastest I can manage with my schedule right now. I'll try to be faster!)**_

_**I'm sorry if anyone seems OC and apologize in advance for any mistakes! I'll take constructive criticism, just please don't be harsh or mean. It hurts my feelings :D**_

_**Anyways, tell me what you think! Hit that review button once you're done with this chappie!**_

_**I don't own Camp Rock. I don't even own a copy of the movie for watching purposes.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Shane Grey blinked sleepily, staring at the curly haired figure of his brother. Judging by the pissed look on Nate's face, he had slept through whatever his brother had just said.

"I mean it. Get your butt out of bed. You said you'd take Chloe to the library, and she's been looking forward to this all week."

"Wait. What time is it?" Shane groped for his alarm clock and swore as he saw the blinking red numbers. "How long has she been waiting?" Shane jumped out of bed, ignoring the pounding of his head.

"About two hours." Nate sighed. "Dude, you're hungover."

"Three advils and I'll be good." Shane pulled on a random t-shirt, jumping into some worn jeans. He stopped for a moment, taking in Nate's expression. "Man, I'm sorry. Chloe means the world to me, do you think I don't feel awful about forgetting about this?" Shane crossed his arms, feeling defensive anger begin to rise.

"She loves you and looks up to you. You've got to be a good example for her!" Nate said seriously. "Shane, you're my brother. But I can't have you around my daughter if you're going to get drunk and be all sulky and angry..."

"Nate, I would _never_ hurt her!" Shane looked stricken, his dark eyes alarmed. "God, if you think that..."

"I don't think you would. But you've got to be a good influence."

"I'm sorry bro. I'll do better," Shane promised.

He made that promise a lot. But in the end, he could never escape the emptiness that seemed to fill him. The fame that he had once reveled in now seemed annoying. It had been awhile since he had even felt faintly inspired to write music, and he couldn't seem to find any purpose. He had it all; money, fame, a crowd of screaming fans. But was he happy? Nope.

"Alright. Well, I gotta go, Cait has to work and I have Ethan duty today," Nate referred to his two-year-old son. "Chloe's been looking forward to a brother free day." Nate paused at the door, lingering there. "Hey Shane?"

"Yeah?" Shane jerked back to attention, pushing away the dark thoughts for the moment.

"You know if you ever want to talk... Ever since Mitch..."

Shane shot him a murderous glare, cutting off the name that was about to be uttered.

"Look, man, if you ever want to talk, I'm here." Nate didn't try to bring up Mitchie this time.

Nate was worried about him. Looking at himself, he would be worried too.

"Yup." Shane nodded dismissively. Nate clapped him on the shoulder and left the room.

Well, it was going to be a crappy day, just like usual. The label wanted to call him later, he was going to have paparazzi to try to escape if he was going to try to take Chloe to the public library...

Who was he kidding? He was a fading star.

Shane pushed the thoughts out of his head as he put on his sunglasses and headed down the stairs.

"Uncle Shane!" A curly haired five-year-old threw herself at him.

"Chloe!" Shane twirled her around then kissed her forehead. "Are you ready to go to the library?"

"Yeah! I've been waiting all morning. Daddy said you weren't feeling very well." Chloe blinked her large blue eyes innocently, light brown pipe curls bouncing around her face.

"Be safe, okay?" Caitlyn walked by, pausing to kiss her daughter, then moving on to her office where she worked. Before she went into the sound proof room, she paused, raising her eyebrows at Shane. He gave her a sheepish look.

"Alright kiddo, let's go," Shane took her hand. His mood was beginning to lighten as he listened to his niece go on and on excitedly.

"I'm glad that Ethan isn't coming," Chloe made a face, putting on her tiny pink sunglasses.

"You don't like Ethan?" Shane teased.

"I like him. But he makes a mess of everything!" Chloe sighed. Shane shook his head with a smile.

Maybe today wouldn't be too crappy.

* * *

"Hmmm, how about we read about the history and evolution of the telephone," Shane held up the greying book. After being recognized by a fan, he and Chloe had managed to lose the crowd by hiding in the giant nonfiction section of the library. It seemed to Shane that all the books were about fifty years old. He opened a book on grammar and cursed under his breath as nearly half the pages fell out.

"No, I want to read this," Chloe showed him her choice.

_The History of the Guitar_.

"Hmm, looks like the book for you," Shane grinned. Suddenly a movement behind a bookcase caught his eye. _Crap. More reporters._ "Hey, get out of here, okay?" Shane raised his voice, annoyance filling his chest.

"Uncle Shane, that's not a reporter!" Chloe peered through the bookcase, started to find a pair of dark eyes looking at her at eye level from behind the books. Quickly the face disappeared. "Hey, come back!" Chloe dropped her book and darted into the next aisle.

Shane mumbled a curse and raced after her.

"What's your name? Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

Shane rounded the corner to find Chloe crouched beside a girl, who looked to be the same age with dark eyes and hair. She was huddled against the bookcase, her dark eyes huge and frightened as then fell upon Shane. He couldn't help but notice how worn her clothes were.

"Tiana," the girl whispered, her eyes darting to Shane uneasily.

"I'm Chloe Grey," Chloe offered her hand. Tiana took it uncertainly.

"Tiana? Where are you?" A young boy's voice called out.

"I'm here, Benj," Tiana stood up. A slightly older boy, looking around seven, rounded the corner and stopped when he saw Shane and Chloe. He was obviously related to Tiana, with the same dark eyes and hair.

"Come on, let's go find Mom." Benj took Tiana's hand, giving Shane an uneasy look.

"Do you need help finding her?" Shane felt the need speak up. The two children gave him a suspicious look, and then slipped away.

"I don't think they liked me," Chloe furrowed her brow, looking up at Shane.

"I don't think it was you," Shane reassured her. He wanted simply to brush off the strange encounter, but he had a weird feeling in his stomach that something big was about to happen.

"Tiana? Benj?" It was a soft voice that called out next.

Shane froze. He _knew_ that voice. It was so tantalizingly familiar. He hadn't heard that voice for ten freaking years. And yet he knew the lilt and musical softness of that voice better than anything else- it was emblazoned in his memory forever.

"Mitchie." Shane didn't even feel his feet pounding the ground as he sprinted around the corner. "Mitchie."

And there she was, staring at him with her large dark eyes.

Her dark hair was swept back in a messy ponytail, and in her arms was a small child. Tiana was hanging on to the edge of her shirt while Benj stood protectively nearby.

_She's so... thin_ was the first thought that crossed Shane's mind. Her simple, slightly worn clothes hung loosely around her painfully small thin frame. Her cheek bones protruded more than usual from her wan face.

"Shane...?" Mitchie's eyes widened. For a moment they both just stared at each other. Chloe quietly slipped her hand into Shane's hand, not quite understanding, but knowing that something serious was going on.

There was so much he wanted to say- to demand where she went, why she hadn't answered his phone calls, why none of his emails had been responded to. But something held him back. For once, he held back that rush of his anger. Mitchie looked like she could be blown away by the slightest breeze. And something about her looked... scared. Some sort of instinct forced him to put his questions aside and be gentle.

"Wow, it's been a long time," Mitchie finally said, pulling the small dark haired toddler in her arm closer. The little girl buried her face in Mitchie's shoulder.

"Are... are these your children?" Shane asked. This was so wrong, here they both were and he didn't even know what to say. All he knew was that something was off. The three children stared at him suspiciously, their dark eyes regarding him carefully.

"Yes." Mitchie flashed him a small smile. "This is Benj, Tiana, and Kari."

"They're gorgeous," Shane swallowed hard. "They look just like you." _Tell me, Mitchie, who is the father? Did you forget about me so easily? How could you get over me so quickly when I still haven't been able to go a day without thinking about you?_

"And your daughter, it looks like she got that Grey curly hair that Nate has too." Mitchie's dark eyes didn't quite meet his.

"Oh, well she's Nate and Caitlyn's daughter actually," Shane told her quickly. "This is Chloe." Something in Mitchie's gaze flickered.

"Nate and Caitlyn? How are they?" she asked eagerly.

"They're great. Cait has her own recording company now."

"Wow, that's fantastic," Mitchie's haunted eyes shone.

"And how are you?" Shane reached out and touched her shoulder. To his surprise, she flinched away at his touch. Kari whimpered quietly, and clung even more tightly to Mitchie.

_Was that..._ Shane's eyes narrowed as he suddenly noticed light fingerprint shaped bruises on the smooth skin of Mitchie's neck.

"I'm fine. Great." Mitchie stepped back, her eyes darting nervously. She checked her watch, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Listen, we should go."

"But..." Shane now knew something was wrong. This Mitchie was so unlike any memory he had of her.

"I'm really sorry, but we can't be late hom... to an appointment." Mitchie's dark eyes met his for a moment. She seemed hesitant to leave, and her lips parted, as if to say something, but then she quickly turned and gathered her children, walking off.

So many unanswered questions swirled in Shane's mind, but all he could think was _she was leaving again and he'd never see her again._

Not again. He couldn't survive this again.

"Wait!" Shane jogged after her. Mitchie turned. "Mitchie, I miss you. Can we at least catch up somewhere? I know that Cait and Nate have been dying to know you're okay and..."

"I'm sorry Shane. We really can't be late." Her look was sad, guarded... scared? Ashamed?

"Let me at least give you my number." Shane grabbed a piece of paper from his pocket, not caring that it was Cait's grocery list that she would kill him for destroying, and tore off a piece. He quickly scribbled a number down and handed it to her.

"Is this your celeb number?" A small smile flickered across Mitchie's face.

"Nope. Personal number, so guard it well," Shane grinned. "So we'll meet up sometime?"

"This means a lot. Thanks Shane."

And then she was gone.

It was only when she was out the door that Shane realized that Mitchie didn't answer his question.

_**Thoughts? Complaints? Randomly want to tell me your favorite type of sushi? Leave a review! :)**_


	2. Pain

_**Thanks to my awesome reviewers, those who followed or favorited this story! My readers are always such an inspiration for me! Love that support! :)**_

_**A couple hints as to Mitchie's situation are in this chap, but no, you don't get the full story yet! **_

_**Shout out to my reviewers: .x, xSimplyMex, Melissa, and Lovaticful! (The story will be alternating between Shane and Mitchie's POV, hopefully you don't mind)**_

_**Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**_

Mitchie shifted Kari in her arms, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to leak from her eyes.

Shane Grey.

She had just run into Shane Grey.

As in Shane Grey from the Before years, from Camp Rock, from... from when her life had been perfect.

"Who was that Mommy?" Benj asked, relaxing now that they were alone on the sidewalk. The fall air was crisp but not yet uncomfortable.

"Just a friend from a long time ago," Mitchie told him lightly. She checked her watch. They needed to be home before Zack.

Shane's face appeared in her mind, his furrowed brow, piercing eyes...

Mitchie felt a wave of shame. She had never expected to run into Shane again. His presence only reminded her of what a failure she was. She could barely get her children fed and clothed and then...

And then there were other things.

"Are we going to see him again?" Tiana asked.

"I don't think so," Mitchie shook her head. Oh gosh, she could barely keep the tears back as she thought about her time at Camp Rock. All her worries then- they seemed so trivial. She remembered having so much fun and Shane...

Before they had been forced to move, before her father had gotten involved with the drug gangs, before Zack...

"I love you," Benj looked up at her with large dark eyes. The seven year old knew exactly when she was upset.

"I love you too sweetie." Mitchie freed one hand to brush a strand of dark hair out of his eyes.

They quickly started climbing up the three flights of stairs to their small apartment. The walls were filthy, cheap paint peeling off to reveal grey cement. The air stank of cigarettes and mildew. On the second floor two people were screaming at each other, and Mitchie quickly hurried her children on, not wanting them to hear the swearing. Finally they reached the relative safety of the apartment, Mitchie carefully locking the door behind them. She glanced at the clock. She had around ten minutes to get some semblance of dinner together before Zack got home.

"Will you sing us a song?" Benj carefully hung up his ragged coat, pushing his mussed hair back.

"When's Dad coming home?" Tiana asked as Mitchie bent down to help her take off her shoes. Knots were still a challenge for the five-year-old. Kari tottered a little unsteadily and attempted to pull her own shoes off, tiny fingers pulling at them while she was still standing in them.

"About ten minutes. And Benj, can I sing you a song later? I've got a lot to do," Mitchie kissed his forehead as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I can help!" Benj followed her to the kitchen, Tiana and Kari trailing behind.

"Sweetie, I want you in the bedroom when your dad gets here," Mitchie told him quietly. "You can all have a snack now but we'll eat together later." _When he's passed out from the alcohol._

Fear flashed across the small boy's countenance.

"What about you?" Benj asked. Tiana stood quietly next to him. The age in their expressions broke Mitchie's heart. Her children understood far more of the world than they should.

"How about this, I'll sing you all whatever song you want if you stay in the bedroom and don't make a sound until I come get you," Mitchie smiled, but her heart was beginning to race a little as she glanced at the clock and saw they were down to around seven minutes.

"Okay," Benj agreed reluctantly. Tiana nodded as well.

"I wanna song!" Kari agreed, giving a charming smile.

"Great!" Mitchie quickly put together some peanut butter crackers and brought them into their only tiny little bedroom.

She had barely gotten the low grade pasta into the boiling water when the key in the door scraped. A tall dark haired man stumbled through the door, dropping his bag and mumbling curses.

"I swear, this place is freezing!" he grumbled.

"How was your day at work?" Mitchie smiled at him. Zack's dark eyes met hers for a moment. They seemed almost black. Mitchie's chest tightened and she took a small step back.

"How was my day at work? HOW WAS MY DAY AT WORK?! I'll tell you how it was!" Mitchie bit back a cry of pain as her head snapped to the left with the slap. "All day I slave for you and those brats, that's how it was! Get me a beer, you worthless..." Zack kicked the wall, the dishes rattling in the cupboard.

Mitchie opened the fridge with shaky hands and grabbed a can. Zack grabbed it from her hand and shoved her back, slamming against the fridge.

"Where's my food?"

"Almost ready," Mitchie said shakily. She grabbed the pot of boiling water, about to drain the pasta when suddenly Zack shoved her. A wave of intense pain washed over her as the boiling water splashed on her shoulder, a scream escaping her lips before she could help it. The pot clattered to the ground, hot water spilling everywhere. Mitchie stumbled back, her vision darkening at the pain. Zack's yelling was a faint roar in her ears as she attempted to stumble over to the sink, desperately trying to get cold water onto the fiery pain that was spread across her shoulder and part of her chest.

When she was finally able to get some sense of her surroundings back, Mitchie found that she was alone in the kitchen. Breathing heavily, she leaned against the sink, closing her eyes, thankful beyond all else that the children had stayed in the room.

She almost laughed at how pitiful she was. If Shane could see her now...

Her life had gone so downhill after Camp Rock that Mitchie could barely even remember what it was like before the move. And now here she was.

Tears slipped down her face as she grabbed a towel and soaked it in cold water, pressing it against her shoulder. Seeking medical care was out of the question; they had no coverage and nobody could know what was going on.

Her children were waiting for her in the other room, scared and hungry. She had to pull herself together.

She had no choice.

* * *

"Come on Princess." Shane absentmindedly lifted Chloe out of the booster seat and almost ran into the house. "Nate! Nate!" He looked through the rooms, his heart pounding. "Cait!"

Gosh. His voice sounded so desperate, even to himself.

"Hello? Anyone?" Shane felt like he was on the verge of a total meltdown.

He had just run into Mitchie Torres and she had slipped away again.

Oh. And she had three kids.

"CAIT! I NEED YOU!" Shane yelled. Chloe clung to him, slightly frightened.

"What?!" Caitlyn suddenly came running through a hall, her face pale. "Is it Chloe?!"

She stopped as she saw her daughter perfectly fine in Shane's arms.

"I found Mitchie, and she's married and I think something's wrong but I couldn't get her to talk to me but she seemed so different and oh yeah she has three kids and I swear something's wrong but she wouldn't talk and I don't know how to find her again but if I can't find her again I don't think I can handle that..."

"WHOA!" Caitlyn grabbed his shoulders and shook him slightly. "Slow down, Shane! I have no idea what you're saying!" Her hazel eyes were worried. "Did you say..."

"Mitchie. I found her," Shane gasped. Caitlyn's eyes widened, a hand flying to her mouth.

"Was she okay? Where?"

"The library. But something's wrong. I just know it. And I don't know how to find her again."

_**Awww. I'm looking forward to some Smitchie action already! (However you'll all have to wait some more for that)**_

_**What do you think? Please leave a review!**_


	3. Broken Fairytales

_**Heyyyyy all! **_

_**Big thanks to my beautiful reviewers, xSimplyMex, Random-Rebecca, xoxogirlie, Melissa, and The Cheetah! Every review is so inspiring to me :)**_

_**A couple more hints on Mitchie's situation are in here! You'll have to figure things out as we go along :) Sorry it's a little short! I'll try to get another chappie up soon!  
**_

_**Leave a review? Please? *puppy eyes***_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Camp Rock or any of its characters! I also don't own "Tomorrow" from Annie. **_

Shane took a deep breath. "I couldn't... I couldn't get her to stay, but..." Shane stopped.

"But what?" Caitlyn's face was full of worry. Shane motioned subtly at Chloe who was standing nearby. Caityln quickly understood. "Chloe sweetie, can you please go play in your room for a little bit?"

"But Mom..." Chloe pouted but did what she was told.

"Okay, what?" Caitlyn's tone was sharp with worry.

"She flinched when I touched her shoulder. And..." Shane swallowed hard. "I couldn't really tell, but it looked like bruises..." He touched his own neck. "Finger shaped."

"Are you sure, Shane?" Caitlyn's expression was one of anguish.

"Pretty sure." Shane ran a hand through his dark hair. "Cait, she was totally different. Lifeless... I could barely believe it was Mitchie if not for looking exactly like her and responding to her name."

"I don't know who he is, but I swear I'm going to find him and kill him!" Caitlyn hissed.

"But how do I find her again?" Shane asked, feeling like a little helpless kid and not even caring.

"Did you get her phone number?"

"No. But she has mine." Shane felt a surge of hope.

"Okay, so we can wait for her to find us, but in the meantime..."

"...let's do some investigating," Shane finished her sentence. They shared a worried look. "Okay. I'm going to go see if I can find her in the phone book. Or online." Shane turned.

"Wait, Shane..." Caitlyn grabbed his arm. "Are you okay?" Her eyes were full of sisterly concern. Although they had their ups and downs- as in he sometimes was a huge jerk- Shane knew that Cait cared about him as a brother.

"I don't know. I... I feel..." Shane stopped. No way was he going to spew his feelings to _Cait_. "Yeah. I'm okay."

It was not very convincing, even to his own ears.

In a strange way, he felt like he was coming back to life. Like he had a purpose for once. It wasn't a feeling he had felt since he had wrapped Mitchie in his arms after the Final Jam.

Suddenly it hit him like a cold slap- _Mitchie was no longer his._ She had children. She probably had a husband or at least significant other.  
But that barely seemed to matter to him. All he knew was that something was wrong and he was burning with fear for the girl who had been missing from his life for so long.

* * *

_"__The sun'll come out, tomorrow. _

_So you gotta hang on till tomorrow. _

_Come what may. _

_Tomorrow, tomorrow, _

_I love ya, tomorrow, _

_you're always a day away."_

Mitchie trailed off, wincing as Kari shifted her weight, bumping into her shoulder.

"Another song?" Benj whispered from his little den of blankets. Mitchie tried to get Kari onto the mattress they all shared, without much luck. Every time she even moved, waves of pain shot up her shoulder. Mitchie closed her eyes, gritting her teeth, trying to manage the pain.

The weight lifted off her lap and Mitchie opened her eyes to find Benj carefully helping his sleeping sister into bed.

"I don't need another song actually, Mommy." Benj turned to her, his huge dark eyes standing out in his small face. "I just want you to feel better."

"Oh, sweetie..." Mitchie bit her lip. "Let me get washed up, then I'll come sing you another song. I want to sing to you." She touched his face softly, brushing a strand of hair out of his face, her heart aching with the love she felt for her children. Not even the pain of her burned flesh could overcome that love. She would protect them with everything she had.

"Don't leave, I'm scared," Her son grabbed her hand.

"You're safe in here. I'm just going to go into the bathroom. Your father is asleep," Mitchie assured him.

"No, I'm scared you won't come back," Benj whispered.

"I'll always come back," Mitchie promised, kissing his forehead and slipped out the door.

Once she was alone in the bathroom, she allowed herself the freedom to slump against the sink, trying to get her breathing under control. Carefully she peeled the shirt off her body, examining the angry red blisters on her skin.

The pain was good. It meant she didn't have deep nerve damage.

This wasn't her first time dealing with burns, but this was definitely the worst she had experienced. Every movement was agony.

But at least the children were all okay. That was what mattered.

Mitchie paused to look at herself in the mirror, examining her wan face and haunted dark eyes. She tried to muster up a smile but couldn't.

What had Shane thought when he ran into her?

Once again, Mitchie felt the hopelessness settle in her chest. What could she do? They needed help. But she would not let her children be taken back to Mexico. As bad as things were here, at least they had gotten away from the treacherous drug circles that had threatened their lives there.

She pulled the Advil bottle out of the cupboard and sighed as she found it was empty. Zack often took them for hangover headaches.

Feeling light headed, Mitchie leaned back against the wall, trying to keep her breathing even and trying to manage the pain. The room was starting to spin a little. Maybe this was more serious than she had thought... Mitchie stumbled to the door, leaning against it heavily.

Her mind wandered to Shane. He had looked good; his dark hair swept away from that brooding face she so missed. She had seen the light in his dark eyes when they met hers. They had been meant to be together, once upon a time.

It all seemed like a fairytale now.

_Fairytales don't exist_, Mitchie thought as she leaned against the wall in the dingy little apartment. She had learned that the hard way.

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	4. A Phone Call

_**Happy Thursday!  
A reasonably lengthed update is here for all of you! **_

_**A huge thanks to my wonderful reviewers, .x, xSimplyMex, XcookiexcutterxpopstarX (I was glad to read your review! But don't feel bad about not reviewing earlier :) I totally understand), Random-Rebecca, The Cheetah, PeaceLoveMusic21, Thatwizardatcamprock, and Reyata-Sweets! **_

_**YOU ALL ARE AMAZING! So is everyone who followed or favorited the story! :)**_

_**I love getting reviews! Like seriously! They make my day! So if you have a couple minutes to spare, I'd love to hear back from any of you reading! :) I don't care what you say (as long as you're not mean) I just want to hear from my readers!  
**_

_**Please enjoy! I own nothing regarding Camp Rock. That would be Disney, I believe. **_

* * *

The next morning, Mitchie woke up covered in sweat.

The sheets clung to skin, which was clammy and damp. As soon as she opened her eyes, the fiery pain hit her. She could barely move- the world was spinning... A soft moan escaped her lips against her wishes.

Oh God. Something was seriously wrong.

Mitchie tried to pull herself off the mattress and crumpled to the floor, the world rocking beneath her. She gasped for breath, every movement of her chest pure agony. Her heart was racing at an alarming pace.

This couldn't be happening. She had to pull herself together. She had three children who needed her- she couldn't be sick.

But she could barely even summon the strength to stand.

She needed some sort of medical care- a bandaid wasn't going to fix this. But where could she turn to?

"Mitchie, where the hell is my breakfast?!"

The door to their room was suddenly yanked open and Mitchie felt herself being violently pulled up.

"Zack, I..." Mitchie gasped, almost throwing up as the world lurched beneath her feet. "I think I need to go to a doctor."

"Like hell you do. You're just playing up for sympathy."

"No, I really think..." Mitchie struggled to say, the edges of her vision blurring.

"Yeah, well where you gonna go? Huh? We don't have money for a doctor! You want me to take you to the emergency room and get us all sent back to Mexico?" Zack's dark eyes burned.

"No... I..."

"Then deal with it!" Zack shoved her away and she hit the wall and crumpled to the floor, her head spinning from the hard blow her head had received in connecting with the wall.

"Hey, stop it!" Benj was suddenly in front of her, his small body in a protective pose.

"Benj, no!" Mitchie tried to lift herself off the ground.

"Don't get in my way, you..." There was a string of curses, followed by the sound of a hard slap and a small cry of pain.

Mitchie was barely aware of the door slamming and silence descending over the house.

"Benj?!"

"I'm okay, Mommy." He suddenly was in her vision and she nearly passed out from relief at the sight of his unharmed face, save a bruise forming on his cheek. "Please be okay. You'll be okay now right? Now that Dad went to work." Benj tugged lightly on her hand.

Sweat dripped down Mitchie's face and a sudden shiver wracked her body.

"I'm okay Benj." It was such a lie, but her struggle for consciousness was not something her seven year old son needed to know.

What was wrong with her?

She pulled herself into a sitting position, and peeled back her shirt a little to glance at her shoulder. The skin was red and puffy, almost yellow in some areas.

It was definitely infected.

The realization didn't make the situation any better. She needed a doctor. But she had nowhere to turn to. She leaned her head against the wall, wrapping her uninjured arm around Benj and Tiana, who had cuddled up against her.

Suddenly Shane's face flashed in her mind.

She was desperate. One trembling hand went to her pocket and somehow managed to pull out the small scrap of paper with the ten numbers on it.  
Despite all her shame, her fear of what could happen if she dragged Shane into all of this, she knew she had to call him. For once, there was someone on her life she could turn to, and now she needed help- her children were depending on her.

A feeling of lightness suddenly swelled in her chest. Maybe... just maybe, things could get better.

"Mommy?" Tiana's voice was full of fear, her small hand lightly tugging on Mitchie's shirt.

"I'm okay sweetie," Mitchie slowly stood up, weighing her options. "I think we're going to take a trip to the library again to see Shane."

* * *

"Mitchie Torres...Mitchie Torres..." Shane glanced over the search results.

"I've got nothing," Caitlyn sighed, running a hand through her curly hair, hazel eyes looking defeated.

"We'll find her," Nate said softly, wrapping an arm around her.

"Oh yeah?! And what if we don't!" Shane suddenly exploded, standing up, dark eyes blazing. Caitlyn's face paled.

"Whoa, dude calm down," Nate stood up as well. "We'll find her." he repeated.

"You don't know that! We could never see her again and..."

Suddenly Shane's cell phone rang. He grabbed it and glanced at the unknown number.

"Hello?"

For a second he thought there wasn't anyone there but suddenly a very familiar voice filled the earpiece.

"Shane?"

"Mitchie?" Shane's eyes widened. "Hey! How's it going? Are you doing okay?"

Nate and Caitlyn exchanged an excited look.

"Um actually, I think I need your help." Mitchies melodious voice was soft. He noticed a slight tremor.

"Okay, sure!" Shane tried not to sound too excited. At the same time, his heart dropped. Was she hurt?

"Could you meet me at the library? I'll be there with the kids in about half an hour. I... I guess I'd like to talk to you in person."

"I'll be there," Shane promised. He hesitated. "Are... are you okay?"

"I'm fine Shane." The small tremble in her voice was all he needed to hear to know she wasn't fine.

It was strange how it was all flooding back- her face, her smell, the feeling of her arms around him... That small tremor in her voice when she was upset, the wide smile and sparkling eyes... He remembered lying on their backs in the grass, talking, staring up at the stars, listening to her soft humming.

He missed her so much. He still loved her.

He. Still. Loved. Her.

The realization hit him like a tidal wave of water, nearly sweeping him away.  
But Mitchie was married probably- she had kids, a new life... She couldn't be his. And for whatever reason, she had left him without a trace.

But he still loved her. And he would do anything to make sure she was happy and safe.

Even if he couldn't have her.

"Alright. I'll see you soon," Shane said quietly, realizing that his voice was husky with emotion.

"Bye."

And then their connection was severed as the call ended.

"I have to go. She wants to talk with me," Shane turned to Nate and Caitlyn who had been observing the exchange quietly. He started to leave.

"Shane."

He looked back at Caitlyn's pleading face. He wasn't the only one who had lost a friend when Mitchie had disappeared.

"Bring her back, okay?"

"I'll try." _With everything I have._

* * *

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	5. Feverish

_**Heyyyy all! Happy Tuesday! :)  
**_

_**I'm not totally happy with this update, but hopefully it's satisfactory enough! It's kinda filler, but we'll get to some action soon, pinky promise!**_

_**Yay! Up to 6 reviews for this chapter! :) I appreciate each and every one! So far this has been a little bit of a different experience review number-wise. In one of my stories, I've gotten 30+ reviews for a chapter. But having only a few reviews makes each one super special! :)**_

_**Sooooo special love to XcookiexcutterxpopstarX, xSimplyMex, The Cheetah, XxOneTreeHillxX, brucas224, and Patricia! **_

_**Big thanks to followers or those who have favorited this story as well!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Camp Rock or Annie or "This is Me" by Demi Lovato **_

Mitchie leaned against the wall, trying to keep the world from spinning. It felt like her skin was burning up but at the same time she couldn't seem to get warm enough, shivers wracking her thin form. She couldn't think straight. But Shane was coming.

Oh crap, what had she done?! Shane couldn't be involved with this! What was she thinking?

"Mommy," Kari murmured sleepily, leaning against her leg. Mitchie had been unable to pick the toddler up- her range of motion severely limited by the damaged skin on her shoulder. Benj and Tiana were playing nearby, eyes darting to her every minute or so.

She still had time. She could take the children and leave, keep Shane out of this...

"Mitchie!"

There he was, hurrying towards her, dark hair messy, his eyes fastened on hers.

"Shane..." Mitchie stepped towards him. He enveloped her in a hug before she could even react.

"Oh God, I was so worried..."

She let out a small cry of pain against her will as he put pressure on her shoulder. He drew back as if he was the one in pain.  
"Mitchie..." His eyes were dark with fear.

"Not here," she said quietly. "I... I need..." her voice broke for a second. "...some help."

"Let me take you to Cait and Nate's house," Shane was looking at her with worry, taking in her flushed appearance, the slight sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"I think antibiotics should fix it..." Mitchie mumbled, swaying slightly.

"Fix what? Mitchie?" Shane stabilized her, hands on her shoulders. She cried out and drew away.

"Mom?" Benj was crowding close to her, shooting Shane suspicious looks mixed with fear.

"It's okay. Shane is our friend," Mitchie told Benj, her eyes losing focus.

"Come on Torres, you're coming with me," Shane said firmly. "I'm taking you to the emergency room."

"No!" Mitchie suddenly resisted with a strength she didn't know she had. "No hospitals!"

"Mitchie, I think you need a doctor."

"No hospitals," Mitchie repeated, her eyes shining with feverish desperation. "Shane. Please."

"Okay. But you're coming home with me and we're calling our private doctor, okay?" Shane supported her slightly as they walked towards the exit. "You guys will love it, we have lots of toys and stuff you can play with while your mom's getting checked out," Shane told Benj, Tiana, and Kari. They just stared silently back, withdrawn and crowding around their mother, their small faces far too old for their age.

His stomach clenched as he noticed the hand shaped bruise on the small boy's cheek, but he somehow kept the anger out of his expression.

The sooner he got to the bottom of what was going on, the better.

* * *

Mitchie winced as the doctor peeled back her shirt.

"Where are my kids?" she asked confusedly, trying to sort through the fog that seemed to be inhabiting her brain. "Where are they?"

"Mitchie, your kids are playing with Caitlyn in the other room. They're fine," the doctor assured her.

"I want to see Caitlyn," Mitchie mumbled. Something cool was placed on her forehead. She was so tired...

A dagger of pain shot up her shoulder as the doctor started cleaning the wound.

"Alright, I've cleaned the burn- it looks like a pretty nasty second degree, but I don't see any signs of deep nerve damage. If it's taken care of properly, there shouldn't be much scarring, if any." The doctor turned to whoever else was in the room... Oh wait, that was Shane, Mitchie realized. "Here's a prescription for antibiotics. The infection should clear up pretty quickly, but make sure the wound stays clean, and this young lady needs a lot of rest."

And then the doctor was gone.

"Want to tell me what happened?" Shane was suddenly beside her. She stared at his face, just wanting to absorb his image. She hadn't thought she would ever see him again.

"It was an accident with boiling water." Mitchie closed her eyes.

"Okayyy," Shane drew out the word, making it obvious that he didn't believe her.

"It was my fault," Mitchie mumbled. "I didn't... didn't have the food ready... But the kids.. they are okay. They're okay. That's what matters." Her words were slightly slurred as her eyes started drifting closed.

"Mitchie, this wasn't your fault, and what happens to you matters too," Shane said firmly, taking her hand and holding it gently. "Leave him. I know your husband is hurting you and the kids, it's obvious. You can stay with us and be safe."

"I wish... I wish it was that simple," Mitchie moved slightly, her dark eyes trained on Shane's, her eyes bright with fever.

"Why isn't it?" Shane leaned forward.

"My kids, where are they? Are they okay?" Mitchie turned away from him, trying weakly to get out of the bed.

"They're okay, Mitchie, please just rest," Shane gently pushed her back in the bed. "Get some sleep, okay? I'll make sure your kids are okay, I promise."

"I trust you Shane." She stared at him, her eyes feverish. "I don't know why but I do. I... I always wondered if you remembered me when I disappeared."

"Of course I remembered you. I never forgot about you."

"I wish..." Mitchie shifted, her brow shining with sweat. "I wish things had turned out differently. I didn't... didn't want to leave." Her eyes were beginning to drift shut, her hand clutching his. "I've been scared..."

"But we're together now. So that worked out," Shane said gently, stroking her thin hand. "I won't let you get hurt."

There was no response- Mitchie was sound asleep, her breathing even.

For a moment he didn't move, taking in her beautiful face, graceful sweep of cheekbones, dark hair tumbling around her face, the haunted eyes peacefully closed. He felt a sudden longing to lean close and kiss her. Instead he gently smoothed the hair away from her brow and left the room.

* * *

"So what do you like doing at home?" Caitlyn grabbed a block and placed it on top of the other, trying to stifle the worry that was tearing at her chest. She had never seen children as withdrawn before. Their dark eyes kept darting to the door, occasionally crying and asking where her mom was. She was struggling to get them engaged in anything.

Until the subject turned to music.

"We like to..." Benj looked at his sisters for support.

"We like singing," Tiana supplied, looking at Caitlyn solemnly.

It had taken her about twenty minutes to even get them to talk to her. They still hadn't smiled and all wore identical worried expressions, their eyes straying to the door every couple minutes, jumping at loud noises. Caitlyn had watched a couple tears sneak down Benj's face before he wiped them away. The boy had placed himself in a protective position by his sisters, close to Tiana, and hugging Kari to his lap.

"Singing? That's great!" Caitlyn smiled.

"Our mom likes singing," Benj said, a ghost of a smile flitting across his face.

"She sings to us when we're sad, or sometimes we just sing for fun," Tiana said, picking up a block, becoming more engaged. A good sign.

"What's your favorite song?" Caitlyn asked, smiling as Tiana bumped into her slightly, knowing the contact meant they were starting to become more comfortable with her.

It was so strange, how much she saw Mitchie in Tiana and Benj, and even little Kari- the dark hair and eyes, love of music...

"Annie!" Kari chirped, becoming interested in the conversation.

"Kari likes all the songs from Annie," Benj explained. "But my favorite song is..." He furrowed his brow with concentration. "This is Me."

"Me too!" Tiana immediately agreed.

Caitlyn froze.

"This is me, this is real, I'm finally where I'm supposed to be now, gonna let the light shine on me," Tiana sung, her eyes lighting up. Her voice was young, but pure and sweet, hitting each note perfectly. She stopped suddenly, her eyes going to the door. "Where is she?"

"Oh sweetie, she's sick," Caitlyn hesitantly wrapped her arms around the girl. Tiana tensed at the contact but then relaxed into the embrace.

"I thought she was just hurt," Benj said fearfully, his eyes full of age beyond his years.

The door opened, saving Caitlyn from having to respond to that.  
Benj drew back as he saw the tall man standing in the door, protectively pulling Kari closer, while Tiana tensed, going rigid between Caitlyn's arms.

"Hey guys, would you like to see your mom?" Shane smiled gently, quite aware that they were scared of him.

"It's just Shane," Caitlyn rubbed Tiana's back soothingly.

She looked up to exchange a serious look with Shane.

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